Improvement in fire-extinguishers



A. CRANE. FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

No. 37,610. Patented Feb. 10, 1863.

Figs].

Witnesses I n rentor:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IMPROVEMENT IN FI RE-EXTINGUISHERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 37,610, dated February 10, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALANSON CRANE, of Fortress Monroe, in the county of Elizabeth City and State of Virginia, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Extinguishing Fires in Buildings, &c.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 represents a longitudinal vertical section of a building provided with my apparatus. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same. 1

Similar letters of reference in both views indicate corresponding parts.

To enable those. skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it with reference to the drawings.

A represents a building with one or more stories, which is arranged for a dwelling or storehouse, or any other purpose whatever, and provided with doors and windows in the ordinary manner.

B is a water-supply pipe, which extends through the outside wall, a, of the building, close down to its bottom or under the ground through the foundation, and which corn'municafes with a vertical pipe, C, that leads up on the inside of the walla and connects with one or more perforated pipes, D. This pipe extends in ahorizontal direction through the :whole length of the building, and it is situated either outside or between the floor that may separate the lower story from that above. The connection between the vertical pipe C and the horizontal pipe D is effected by a double-T connection, 0, so that the pipe C can be continued to any upper story, if desired. The loose end of the perforated pipe is stopped up, and supported by a bracket, cl, which is-secured to the opposite wall, e.

E represents a plug,'which serves to stop up or open the communication between the vertical pipe C and theperforated pipe or pipes D. The shank of this plug is made square at its end, so that the same can easily be operated by a suitable key or wrench, and said shank extends through anopening, f, in the wall a,

so that the same can be reached by persons outside the building. The openingfis closed by a plate, 9, which rotates on a pivot, h, and which may be arranged with a locking device, so that it can be fastened, and that the plug E can only be reached by persons authorized to do so. The vertical pipe 0 may be provided with a check or valve below the double-T connection 0 to sustain the column of water contained in the upper portion ofsaid pipe and prevent it running back, and a stop-cock, h, above said T-connection serves to throw the water into the horizontal pipe D. If this stop-cock is closed, the waterintroduced from belowis prevented rising beyond the pipe 1);,

and consequently it. is discharged through the perforations of said pipe; or, ifit is desired to flood simultaneously several floors, the cock is opened, and the water rises and discharges simultaneously through thepipeDandthrough a similar pipe which may be arranged on the next succeeding floor. The supply of water may also be taken from a-tank in the upper part of the building, and in this case by opening the cock h the water discharges through the perforations of the pipe D.. The principal advantage of my invention, however, is derived from the arrangement of the plug E, ex tending through the opening f in the wall a, so that in case a fire should occur in a building which is completely closed and the key of which is not on hand persons authorized to do so can flood the several floors with water, and thereby extinguish thefire at a moments notice and without the least injury. to the building.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters latent, is-- The arrangement of the plug E to extend through the exterior wall of the building, in combination with the locking cover or plate g, and with the arrangement to diffuse water through the building, as herein shown and described.

ALANSON CRANE.

Vitnesses O. D. MUNN, M. S. PARTRIDGE. 

